Apparatus for forming depressions in cylindrical cans



Nov. 27, 1951 w. F. ROTHE 2,576,240

APPARATUS FOR FORMING DEPRESSIONS IN CYLINDRICAL CANS Filed June 25, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

Walt er FT iPoihe.

Ab borrtel/ Nov. 27, 1951 2,576,240

APPARATUS FOR FORMING DEPRESSIONS IN CYLINDRICAL CANS I W. F. ROTHE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed June 25, 1948 Waller E 1208116.

Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFF-ICE APPARATUS FOR-"FORMING DEPRE SSIUNS INCYLINDRICAL CANS WalterFQRothe,Washington, n. o. Application J une 25, 1948; SeriaINo. 35,086

(cuss-47) laim's. 1 The present invention relates generally to apiparatus forforming cylindrical containers or came with depressions and morespecifically to a machine for changing the form of filled containers or cans to facilitate handling.

'Heretofore canned goods, such as tomatoes, various fruit juices, etc. are'sold in several different sizes of cylindrical cans. Thelarge'r sizes of these cans are very difficultto handle particularly when it is necessary to pick them up with one hand to move them from a shelf in a store, refrigerator 'or "other place of storage.

Accordingly, it is an'object of the present invention to provide novel apparatus for forming cylindrical cans with pressed in side portions to facilitate handling, said apparatus being adjustable to fit different sizes ofcans.

The above and further objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description of one "embodiment thereof.

In the drawings: Figure '1 isa partial perspective view's'h'owing a portionof a conveyor progressively feeding cans from a canning machine to and from a forming station provided for depressing the sides of the cans.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross section view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The apparatus comprises a conveyor adapted to receive cylindrical cans from a standard can filling, sealing and labeling machine, and an indenting mechanism through which the cans are forced by the conveyor. The indenting mechanism is located in the path of the conveyor, and is designed to form roughened concave indentations in opposite sides of the cans as they are forced therethrough.

Referring to the drawings in detail, which illustrate one arrangement for practicing the present invention, there is shown in Fig. 1 an endless conveyor ID with can holder members H mounted thereon. This conveyor feeds from and is powered by a conventional can filling, sealing and labeling machine, not shown.

Each of the can holder brackets H serves two functions, that is, it first holds a can l2 in position on the conveyor belt and second it pushes the can forward between forming members, such as the elliptical fluted or roughened rollers l5 and I6 mounted on their respective elongated spindles l1 and I8. i

To facilitate the above two functions each holder H comprises a reversely positioned l.-

' formed concave on the side facing the former roller to conform "to the can body i 2 and' the 'sh'orter' leg 20 is "secured to the conveyor belt H! *by fasteners, such as rivets 2|. Theapicesof 'eac'h bracket may b'e' p'ro'v'ided with a strengthening rib 22 to provide for extra rigidity.

Formed from the top and bottom portions of the leg I9 are yieldable-c1amps 23 and 24, which 'snap around the cans 12 "and hold them back against the curved surface of the leg I 9. This curved surface of leg I9 "is preferably covered with an anti-friction pad 25, as is also a portion "atleast of the inner curved surfaces of the clamps 23 and 24 as shown by numeral '25. cans are firmly held by very rigid pusher mem- Thl'IS the bers, as they are fed forward and forced between the forming rollers I5 and I6, see Fig. 3.

The forming rollers are slidably mounted on the spindle shafts f1 and I3, each of which shafts are formed with an elongated keyway nadapteu to interfit with a key 280., see Fig. 3,1andal0cking setscrew 29 formed in thehollow bore of'each roller l5 and IS. The ends of each of the spindles turn in bearings 30 supported on the top and bottom bars of a wicket-like frame 3|.

The frame 3| spans the conveyor belt H) and comprises side bars 32 and 33, and compound top and bottom connections in the form of slotted bearing support plates 34 and 35 at the bottom, one for mounting each lower bearing 30 and slotted bearing support plates 36 and 31, and one for mounting each upper bearing 3|].

To provide for spanning the belt Ill at the top of frame 3| the side bars 32 and 33 are turned over at right angles to form heads 38 and 39, respectively. Secured to these heads are the ends of the slotted plates 35 and 31. Also, the

side bars at the bottom are each formed with a T-shaped base or foot 40. The part of each base 4!! outside the frame 3! is slotted at M and 42 and mounted on a main support 43, while the part inside'the frame extends under each side of the belt is and supports an end of the slotted plates 34 and 35, respectively.

Each set of slotted bearing plates are provided with bolts 44, which fit in the slots thereof. Likewise, the slots 4| and 42 of the T-shaped bases 40 are provided with slot-engaging bolts 45. Thus the forming rollers l5 and Hi can be adjusted to work on any standard diameter of can by mounting each side 32 and 33 of the frame 3| on the main support 43 and the upper and lower bearing support plates for the length of their several respective slots. Also, the rollers Operation and process steps example, the cans l2 are collected by the holder II and conveyed to the forming station. Previously the rollers I5 and [6 have been adjusted to properly work on a particular size of can and as the cans are fed between the rollers, see Figure 3, the opposite sides thereof are pressed in and corrugated by the fluted or roughenedrollers.

From between the rollers the can is carried forward to a can dispensing station and to be removed from the conveyor l0, and when so removed the cans will have elliptical depressions 50 formed therein formed with longitudinal and transverse corrugations 5| and 52.

Thus there is provided a novel process for reshaping cans to facilitate handling, a novel machine for shaping the can and a new article of manufacture in the form of a can as shown in the right side of Figure 1 of the drawings.

While the present process has been described in detail for one series of steps only and the one embodiment of an apparatus for practicing the same has been specifically described and illustrated, various changes and modifications, which will now probably appear to those skilled in the art, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. To determine the scope .of the present invention, reference should be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for reshaping filled cans, comprising 7 a conveyor belt, combined can holding and pusher members mounted on said belt, aframe spanning said belt, a pair of opposed means mounted in the framev adapted to press in diametrically 4 opposed sides of each can forced therebetween by said members mounted in the belt, said means comprising a pair of rotatable rollers, said frame being made in sections including adjustable overlapping bearing plates formed with slots extending above and below the said belt and bolt members in said slots, whereby the rollers may be spaced varying distances apart.

2. Means'forreshapingfilled cans, comprising a conveyor belt, combined can holding and pusher members mounted on said belt, a frame spanning said belt, said frame being divided into two adjustably connected parts so that the opposite sides can be adjusted with respect to each other transverselyof the belt, a pair of corrugated rollers, each being formed with a hollow bore having a longitudinal groove in the surface of each bore, a pair of elongated spindles respectively rotatably mounted in the two adjustable parts of the frame and standing substantially perpendicular to the belt, said spindles each having a similar longitudinal groove to each roller groove for mounting each of said rollers in the frame, a key fitting into the registering grooves of an adjacent spindle and roller bore, and locking means for retaining said rollers in adjusted position on their respective mounting spindles, each end of each spindle being rotatable in bearings supported in the respective frame parts.

WALTER F. ROTHE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,460,293 Jacobs Feb. 1, .1949 

